Thursday is the first game of the NFL season, a prized contest that features the two NFC Championship combatants of last year, the Minnesota Vikings and the New Orleans Saints.

During these summer months there has been talk of the Green Bay Packers suddenly being the cream of the NFC crop. Minnesota fans feel confident that as long as Brett Favre is slinging the ball, there are hopes of a fifth Super Bowl visit. Others think the Dallas Cowboys or maybe the Atlanta Falcons will be this year's NFC representative. Long-shot lovers select teams such as the San Francisco 49ers or the New York Giants. But the reigning NFL Champion is the Saints and that will not change for many more months.

Quarterback Drew Brees is playing at an elite level and right now he is the best quarterback in the NFL. Names like Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, and Marques Colston remind us that the offense of New Orleans is multi-talented. Combine that with a defense that forced over two turnovers a game and you have your champion. They handled the Indianapolis Colts much easier than most thought possible. They are good.

Those opportunists that create the NFL's schedule saw a game worthy of opening night. The dramatic overtime finish was quite possibly a better game than the Super Bowl follow-up. Media played up the devastation of Hurricane Katrina as the impetus for a feel good story. They could have just as easily told the story of Archie Manning and a failed franchise. That was nearly as disastrous.

A good story. But there is a better one.

It would start tomorrow with Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson righting a wrong. Instead of getting attacked every which way, throwing late interceptions, and limping around the field, this story would have Brett leaping into the arms of Greg Camarillo, Visanthe Shiancoe, or Percy Harvin as they catch another TD pass from Favre. It would show Adrian Peterson running over would-be tacklers while holding onto the football. It would star the offensive line protecting their quarterback, and defensive backs making big plays late in the game. The defense would bottle up the Saints for the entire game. And everyone would be healthy.

This story would unfold much like last year's tale. It would find Minnesota once again in the NFC Championship. Only this time they would hold onto the football and end up winning the Super Bowl with Brett Favre as their quarterback.

A tall task given the injury situation of Minnesota as well as the hype surrounding opening night for the Super Bowl Champs. The makings of a really good story.